National Plan for Vacation Day

National Plan for Vacation Day

Photocredit:Project: Time Off

BY: RACHEL SMITH

American journalist, Earl Wilson, hit the nail on the head when he said, “A vacation is what you take when you can no longer take what you’ve been taking.”

It’s impossible to put a price on the value of vacation time. We need days off to enhance our relationships, to re-charge our batteries, and to increase professional success. Yet, it seems the majority of people let a large portion of their vacation days slip through their fingers each year.

According to the Travel Channel, last year Americans forfeited about 662 million vacation days.

WHAT??

People… you’re given time off each year. Use it!! Your employer gives this to you for a reason, and that reason, in a nutshell, is to keep you sane. It’s detrimental to keeping the balance of work and play in one’s life and, thus, contributing to our overall happiness.

The biggest excuses heard around the globe for not utilizing vacation days are: 1) I don’t have time to take a vacation. 2) I’m just too busy at work. 3) Maybe I’ll try to plan something next year.

Boo-hockey! All of it!

As it turns out, over half of Americans bypass the most crucial step to consume their full vacation potential: planning! Therefore, January 30th was designated by Project: Time Off as National Plan for Vacation Day so that people stop making excuses and start making plans. The goal for today is to encourage the workforce to declare their vacation days for the rest of the year. That way, you force yourself to adjust your workload accordingly, and your excuse of being too busy at work is no longer valid.

And scheduling your vacation time in advance doesn’t necessarily mean you need use said time to travel to an elaborate destination. Maybe you cringe every time you enter the storage room in your basement… well, plan some time down the road to take a few days off and tackle that job. Or maybe you’ve always wanted to paint your kids’ bedrooms.

Whatever you choose to do during your time off isn’t the issue. It’s the fact that you are planning time for yourself throughout the year. Utilizing the time, given to you by your employer, to use for yourself. To re-set your attitude, re-charge your batteries, and be a better employee in the long run.

And hey (insert shameless plug here) if you’re looking for activities during your time off, I hear Clear Lake is a GREAT place to visit. For a full listing of fun events and things to enjoy, check out www.clearlakeiowa.com